To Live and Breath
by SheyConYamo
Summary: The crew inducts a brand new planet to the Galexy: Terraia! But what secrets does the planet and it's people hold? What secrets are not even the Planet's to keep? Rated M just in case! ;D


**I wanted to say, its been quite some time since I've written a fanfiction! I should probably be working on one of the three I already have out here, but this story is currently the one on my mind. Hopefully, I can post quickly enough that it won't just be a stranded chapter. **

**Anyway, I do not own Star Trek in any of its forms or variations and probably never will. **

**Tell me what you think! ;D (Rated M for safety in later chapters) **

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><p>.:Chapter1:.<p>

Captain Picard looked to his first officer. Commander Riker stared straight forward with a straight face. Picard looked to the corner of his mouth. He was trying not to smile.

Picard looked forward to the PreSident on-screen. He knew that snicker had come from somewhere and he was not happy that it nearly interrupted the current conversation. The PreSident, however, didn't seem to care in the least; or possibly hadn't heard. He was of a rather advanced age.

"Well, Captain, to summarize this communication," the PreSident continued, "you are representatives of an interstellar covenant of planets called The Federation of Planets, and you are hear to aid us in our journeys into greater space, and discuss the possibility of us joining this Federation. Have I left anything out?" The elder mad tilted his head as if assuming he needed to listen for what had been "left out."

"No, Sir. You have made quite a concise report." Picard answered.

The PreSident leaned back in his chair and took a deep breath. "If you will excuse us for a brief recess, we will need to discuss all we have heard here." It did not seem that he was making it an option.

"Of course, Sir. Take all the time you need." Picard said graciously. The council before them bowed in their seats. Picard and the other commanding officers bowed back. With that, the communication was promptly terminated.

Picard immediately turned around. "Alright, who laughed?" He hadn't quite said it in anger but it was certainly not a happy tone of voice. Everyone stared or looked away. Picard narrowed his eyes. "This is not Grade School, who laughed?"

Finally, an ensign in the back stepped forward. "It was me, Sir."

Picard felt a twitch in his face. He sighed. "Would you care to explain why?"

The young ensign fidgeted a little before answering. "Well… the Councilman at the far right of the lineup was fidgeting with his hat and ripped a part of it off in his attempt to fix it. The expression on his face when he did that was... um, priceless." The ensign looked down as he turned red.

Picard was speechless. First of all, he hadn't even noticed that, and secondly, it looked as if parties on _both_ sides weren't paying attention to this momentous occasion. After all, as far as he knew, this was the first time in this planet's history that they had come into contact with an alien species or even had true evidence that they existed. Picard sighed. "As you were, Ensign."

The boy saluted, "Yes Sir!" and went back to his panel.

Picard shook his head and glanced at Riker. He was grinning.

"For the record captain," Counselor Troy spoke up with smile in her voice, "both _were_ listening to what was going on."

"Of course." Captain Picard said as he took his seat.

"I have to admit, though." Commander Riker said as he took his own seat. "It was funny."

"You saw it too, then?" Lieutenant Warf said abruptly.

"And we are to expect that you saw it, Lieutenant?" Picard asked looking up at him.

"As a matter of fact, I did, Sir." Warf had a smile in his eyes even though his face was as rocky as ever.

Captain Picard sighed as he leaned back in his chair. He looked dumbfounded at the screen. "Am I the only one here who didn't notice that?" There were several smiles around the room at that question.

"Well, Captain, it is entirely probable that you did not notice due to the fact that you were the one engaged in the conversation." Lieutenant Commander Data spouted as he turned to face them. There were a few snickers at that.

"Thank you, Data, that is probably the exact reason as to why I didn't notice." Picard looked to the side and shook his head again.

"Well, that is probably the best reason to not notice something that obvious." Riker said in a helpful voice.

Picard simply stared at him.

Suddenly, the communiqué signal went off. "We are being hailed, Sir." Lieutenant Warf informed promptly.

"Well, that was fast." Picard said as he, Riker, and Troy stood. "On screen." He commanded.

The Transmission came through and the Councilors were again sitting before them.

"I must admit, PreSident, I hadn't expected a return transmission so soon." Picard said amiably.

"Well, it was a rather concise conversation, Captain." The elder said with a smile. "That being said, we have nothing but a simple request which, upon fulfillment, will make our final decision."

Picard exchanged glances with Riker before looking back to the PreSident. "And that request would be?" He wasn't sure if he should be apprehensive or enthused.

The PreSident looked to the Councilmen on either side of him. He then looked Picard straight in the eyes. "Our request, is that you kindly allow us to see your neck and shoulders."

Captain Picard and the other commanding officers stared. Picard blinked. "I apologize, could you repeat that, PreSident?"

"Certainly." The PreSident said as if expecting that question. "Would you kindly show us your neck and shoulders."

Picard couldn't help it. He looked right at Riker. Riker raised his eyebrows. He looked at Troy. She did the same, but gave no indication that it was a farce. He looked back to the PreSident. He took a deep breath. "Alright then."

Picard undid his collar with trepidation. Rather slowly, he undid the rest of his overcoat when he realized he would have to remove his shirt in order to show them what they wanted. "Eh... " he looked up, "I will need to remove my shirt..."

"If you would, please?" The PreSident asked kindly. He seemed to genuinely think he _needed_ to see Picard's neck and shoulders.

"Alright then." Picard repeated. He removed his overcoat and tossed it onto his chair. He hesitated just barely before pulling his shirt over his shoulders. He could have sworn he heard almost all the Council members gasp. He stood stiffly and held his shirt quite tightly in his hand at his side. He was suddenly less aggravated when he noticed that they seemed to be truly surprised by his appearance. They were studying his upper body as if they had never seen anything like it.

"Um, one question?" Almost all eyes turned to the female Council member two seats to the left of the PreSident. "Is that, _hair_ on your chest?"

For the first time in a long time, Picard started to blush. "Um... Yes. Yes it is."

"Ah... I see." The woman put her hand to her chin in thought.

"Is that a surprise to you?" Commander Riker asked politely.

"Yes, actually. It is." The PreSident answered for her, still staring at Picard himself. He directed his attention to Riker. "Would you... would you please bear your neck as well?"

Riker glanced at Picard quickly. "Of course." He undid his overcoat with much less hesitation. He finally removed his shirt and noises of curiosity could be heard from the Council.

"And, that's hair on your chest as well, yes?" A Councilman three chairs to the PreSident's left asked.

"Yes, it is." Riker affirmed.

"Huh." The Councilman stared.

"Well!" The PreSident said suddenly, "I think that will be all. Thank you greatly for fulfilling our request, Captain and Commander." He bowed his head to them.

Captain Picard and Commander Riker bowed their heads back. Picard quickly put his shirt back on before asking the question gnawing at his mind. "Eh, might I ask _why_ you needed to see that?"

"Of course!" The PreSident said cheerfully. "Tryon, if you would." He gestured to a younger looking Councilman to his left, four seats down. The man stood up and walked to where he was closer to the center of their vision. He started undoing the upper portion of his outer robe. Then, his tie, then his shirt, then apparently his undershirt; a look of almost annoyance on his face the whole time. Though, if it was due to having to disrobe, or having so many items of clothing to undue, was unclear. Finally, he opened up the upper portion of his wardrobe to reveal his neck and upper chest.

Picard and the other officers on the bridge let out various indicators of surprise.

There were spots on the man's neck where it met his shoulders. They looked to sweep quite elegantly from his back and they seemed to form a hook around the dip under his throat. Not only that, but there wasn't a hair to be seen on his chest. Suddenly, he spoke. "Our species does not have enriched hair follicles on our chest. And, obviously we posses spots on our neck that continue down our backs." He promptly started redoing his clothing, that look of almost annoyance again present.

"You see, you look so much like us that we had to be sure you weren't some of our own acting in an attempt to subvert us." The PreSident clarified.

"Ah. I understand now." Picard said, having now fully re-clothed himself. "Well, am I to assume that you have now made a decision?"

"Yes, Captain, yes indeed!" The PreSident said quite happily. He stood and the remaining Council members stood with him. "Welcome, Captain Jean-Luc Picard, and by extension, The Federation, to our humble planet of Terraia!" The PreSident and the Council bowed generously.

Captain Picard and the others bowed just as generously back. "Thank you very much for your warm welcome, PreSident." Picard said with a genuine smile.

"You are very welcome, Captain!" The PreSident said with his own all consuming smile. "Now, you must come to the surface and see for yourself our planet and all it has to offer!"

"Of course, PreSident, thank you truly." Captain Picard said with as much enthusiasm as stoicism.

"Well, what are you waiting for? These coordinates, Captain, we will meet you and your crew here in no less than an hour!" The man motioned somewhere behind the screen and they heard the communiqué signal again. "We look forward to seeing you in person!" He almost grinned outright and the other Council members either had the same form of elation or other calmer extensions of it.

"The same is true for us, PreSident. We shall be there." Captain Picard affirmed.

The PreSident, smile ever present, moved his index and middle finger to his forehead and moved them away in an almost salute-like motion. The transmission was promptly terminated.

There was silence for a few moments.

"Well." Commander Riker said. "That was interesting." He turned to Picard and smiled.

"Yes... _very_ interesting." Picard said, sitting down as if he was exhausted.

"Well, they _were_ being truthful in every aspect." Counselor Troy put in. "They did honestly believe they needed to see that." Everyone could tell she was trying not to smile.

"Yes, we understand that now. Hopefully, we'll never have to do it again." Picard said with a sigh.

"I kind of thought it was fun." Riker said in a playful voice as he started putting his overcoat back on. "After all, how often do you get to show off your guns!" His grin was ear to ear.

"Often enough, that I never want to do that again." Picard said with finality. Everyone laughed or snickered in some form at that.

"Just out of curiosity?" said a voice everyone recognized to be the ensign, "Am I the only one who noticed that that particular Councilman from earlier didn't have his hat with him anymore?"

Before anyone else could say anything- "You are correct, Ensign. That Councilman no longer had his hat." Data answered. He turned around and looked at the others staring at him. "Is something wrong?"

"No, Data." Picard answered as Riker and everyone else smiled or laughed. "There is nothing wrong at all."

XoXoX


End file.
